


Turning in the badge

by Lilly_C



Series: Inking It Out [68]
Category: Law & Order
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s14e24 C.O.D., Gen, Missing Scene, Retirement
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-06
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-20 21:57:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11930091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilly_C/pseuds/Lilly_C
Summary: "Are you certain this time?"





	Turning in the badge

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sidewinder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sidewinder/gifts).



> Takes place early on in C.O.D.
> 
> Thanks to Tamara for doing beta for me.

Being awake several minutes before the alarm was due to go off had become an unexpected recent habit for Lennie who had spent the last couple of months grappling with the decision to retire. He knew that it would be a difficult decision to make even if he confided his concerns to a sympathetic ear, he wasn’t sure that he could adjust to a life without a fixed daily routine or without seeing his colleague’s. 

Once the shrill beeps of the clock begun he got up and dressed then pocketed his daily essentials before leaving the apartment to drive to the precinct, stopping at his favourite cafe for a takeaway coffee and pancakes to eat when he got to the station.

~

Lennie placed his take-out coffee and pancakes on his desk before hanging up his overcoat. He thought that he was in early enough to organise his retirement paperwork before the other detectives came in for their shifts.

He stared at the question _reason for retiring_ “How long have you got?” he mused out loud, believing he was alone for the hour.

Stepping out of her office, Anita asked, “How long has who got for what?”

Turning to face her, he said, “I didn’t know you were in or I'd have brought you breakfast,” slightly startled that his superior had also already started the day.

Taking Ed’s usual seat across from his, as Anita took a pancake from the container he’d slid across the tables she managed to sneak a glance of the paperwork he had begun filling in. “All of your cases are up to date, what are those?”

“Retirement papers.”

Anita’s blank expression gave Lennie all the incentive needed to finally bring up the topic they’d been avoiding for some time.

“I’m not sure I've got another year in me,” he openly admitted for the first time.

He’d turned sixty four earlier in the year and there had been occasions where it was obvious that his age was affecting his ability to do his job but he chose to solider on rather than letting on there was problems.

“You could do a desk job,” Anita vainly suggested to see how well thought out his decision was.

Lennie let out a low chuckle at the suggestion, “I’d still be twiddling my thumbs, maybe the D.A.’s office will have an investigation that I can pick up.”

“How long have you been thinking about this Lennie?”

“Since the Tenofsky case wrapped earlier this year. I feel like I've just been going through the motions everyday and I’m not a young man any more, this is a young man’s calling now.”

Unsure of how many people were aware of the detective’s decision, Anita asked, “Have you told Ed?”

Lennie shook his head, “Not yet. I hadn’t made my mind up until yesterday when I picked these up.”

“You will tell him won’t you?”

“When the time is right.”

Footsteps and numerous familiar voices began drifting the through the unusually peaceful space, giving the detective and lieutenant the opportunity to finish their discussion and go about their respective business for the start of the day.

Lennie grabbed his jacket and documents, hastily exiting the precinct he headed for One P. P. rather than drive, he walked giving himself more time to mull over his life changing decision before filing them to make it official.

The stroll also gave him ample time to figure out how to tell his partner that they wouldn’t be working together once the case they were currently working on had closed and gone to trial. 

~

Van Buren’s phone had been ringing off the hook all afternoon with a variety calls about recent cases, pending trials and a colleague’s future.

_He’s really going._ she thought as the last phone call ended. _How am I gonna replace him?_

A few minutes later she spotted Lennie and Ed coming back in to begin the paperwork and follow ups for their latest case. She went to the bullpen calling Lennie to her office, “Just you partner,” she said as Ed was about to join them.

Closing the door to give them a little more privacy, Lennie took a seat sensing that there was something more serious than a mislabelled file. 

Anita let out a long low sigh as she pieced together the phone call from One Police Plaza about the detective. “Are you certain this time?”

“Yeah, I'm certain Lieu. I've been on the force for over thirty years, started out at the three one as a beat cop and moved around precincts in Manhattan and Queens before coming here, and the time is right because I've seen it all and done it all.”

Although they’d spoken earlier in the day, Anita was still curious about the timing. “Why now Lennie?” she enquired even though she knew that his age was going to be an undeniable factor in his decision.

“It’s now or never,” he quipped, his smile receding at Anita blank expression. “Seriously though I'm at the point where it’s too difficult to keep up with Ed when we’re chasing after suspects and it’s taking a toll on me.”

Anita merely nodded to his answer. “When you told me, I thought that it was a late April fools joke,” referring to prank he’d played on everyone a couple of years ago. “When do you finish?”

“Once this case is wrapped up. I’ll be around for the trial and when that’s over I'll be packing up my desk.”

“And Ed?”

“I’ve told him, I don’t think he’s taking the news too well.”

“I’m not surprised, he looks up to you, you’re not just his partner, you’re his mentor and his friend. The both of you have been through so much together over the last four years.”

Lennie hesitated for a beat, “Maybe I should have waited until my last day to tell him,” he dead panned.

“What good would that do?” Anita said, raising an eyebrow to the slightly off statement. “None,” she got in before he could dig himself into a deeper hole.

A gentle knock on the door brought their conversation to an end. Lennie went back to his while two young beat cop spoke to Anita.


End file.
